Negotiating against oneself

It’s hard to negotiate any agreement when you are only negotiating against yourself.  In the fight to raise the debt ceiling, something that was done 7 times under the previous President with no real fighting, the GOP will not compromise one single little bit.  The Democratic leader s in Congress and President Obama should offer nothing more than a deal that raises the debt ceiling to the level needed to fund the current already agreed expenditures through the end of 2012.  When the GOP refuses to agree to an amount needed to pay the bills already incurred, they will be seen as the cause of any problems that result when required payments are not made.   It’s as if the GOP has eaten the restaurant meal, but when the bill comes they baulk at the cost.
 

The Democrats should keep this same attitude about ending the current tax cuts that went into effect in 2000 and 2001 and were extended (stupidly in my opinion) at the end of 2010.  They should not agree to any plan that extends them again for Americans making over $250K a year.  With taxes as a percent of GDP at their lowest point in 60 years, move revenue is needed, not less.  This will set them up well for the next election in 2012 because the American people will see the GOP for what they really are – a political party that can not lead our country as a whole because they are cornered by a political base that prevents them from compromising on anything – even for the good of the country as a whole.